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Member
Posts: 6
| I will make this as short as I can. This guy is what was suppose to be my once and a lifetime horse, we have been through hell and back more times than once. He was the real deal before he got sore. Almost 2 years in the works, more tears, blood, sweat, screaming throwing things than I care to admit, and thousands and I mean multiply thousands in dollars spent, using top vets in the state of Texas and what some consider top vets in the US, top chiropractors, etc. fragment removed from fetlock, complete recovery from white line, all your normal maintenance injections, plenty of time off for recover, and still wont turn the first (right)barrel. Have had recheck after recheck, have had other people run him thinking it was the jockey, finally gave in and switched directions and still wont turn. Worst part is he always loads in the trailer, never refuses the alley, never runs up the fence, has always committed to sitting and turning until the last week or so now he goes to fence and then back towards the alley with no control (run off)...I have NEVER felt so defeated and heart broken. When do you know its time to give up? |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
  
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | Try doing other things...try team roping or penning...stay away from barrels....my 1 horse is off and has been going on 5 months now...i dont give up...im not wired like that....good things usually take time......m |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| Once you have done everything you can do and its no longer a fun experience for either one of you, its time to part ways. SOme horses, no matter how well bred, how slow you start them, all the vet care in the world won't make them want to be a barrel horse etc.
Edited by FLITASTIC 2017-11-27 3:01 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 784
Location: USA | I assume you probably have.... but have you done a bone scan. Your horse sounds just like my horse. Bone scan showed multiple things going on. Good luck... so very frustrating. My guy was my dream horse too... I'll never have another. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 477
Location: Lost in the swamps | Ever checked for kissing spine? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 477
Location: Lost in the swamps | FLITASTIC - 2017-11-27 3:00 PM
Once you have done everything you can do and its no longer a fun experience for either one of you, its time to part ways. SOme horses, no matter how well bred, how slow you start them, all the vet care in the world won't make them want to be a barrel horse etc.
^^^^^^And this too. I fought for years with one that had all the potential in the world. Just couldn't hold it togeather in a run. And it got to a point where it just wasn't fun anymore. So I kicked him out to pasture. He is now a happy kids lesson horse! |
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Member
Posts: 6
| yes Xray every inch of his neck and back |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | Have you sent him to a good trainer for a week to see what they say? |
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Member
Posts: 6
| He spent three weeks with an outside trainer who took him back to basics, he is not what I consider kid friendly and I would not put a child on him, I wouldn't even let someone I don't know ride him, as he is super strong, quick, and fast, he has been x-rayed from head to toe, he is semi scared of cattle and ropes. LOL he is a true problem child I guess you would say. |
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 Loves to compete
Posts: 5760
Location: Oakdale, CA | honeslty I don't call it giving up I call it moving on.............Its ok especailly when Its not fun anymore..........
It has to be fun............ |
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Veteran
Posts: 233
| When it's no fun anymore.
When you can't afford to throw any more second mortgages at it.
When it makes you cry more than it makes you happy.
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Expert
Posts: 1446
Location: California | I am too old to put up with that for 2 years. . Too many other horses willing to work for me to put up with one who won't. I've sold horses I loved because I could tell they didn't want to be a barrel horse or because there were personality conflicts. They found their person, and I found better horses. Best of luck. |
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Veteran
Posts: 264
| I know your pain!!! I have gone through everything you just said. Raised my dream horse, stunning, strong, racing machine. He would haul in and act committed to the turn, he'd start his turn then grab the bit and run uncontrolled to the gate. It became dangerous, he was running terrified and there were multiple times the decision to bail were the safer option. No vet here found an issue with him. Sent him to a local trainer and he did the same thing. I decided to get a bone scan in the neighboring state which found lumber spine problems. It appears he fell at some point, small fracture and tore the deep muscles and ligaments in his pelvis. Never will take a lame step. We did injections, prp, every rehab therapy out there. It was a year of rest and recovery, but I tried again and he came back strong. He has not done it again, but let me tell you.... I don't trust him now. I ride very reserved, expecting him to do it again.
If you haven't, I would highly suggest a bone scan. If everything comes back healthy my only suggestion would be finding him a new job for a while, although it does truly sound like it is a health related problem. And if you do get him back, will you be able to enjoy him like you used to? Not second guess every time you run down the alley is he going to turn? Are you too emotionally invested to move on? Do you have a video you could post? There are some pretty amazing people on this board that could make some suggestions.
Good luck! I'm sorry for your frustration. It isn't easy when it gets to this point. :-( |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| Teeth, ulcers, kissing spines |
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Location: midwest mama | Been there - done that. Time to move on and have fun. |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| OldSchoolCowgirl - 2017-11-28 2:05 AM
Been there - done that. Time to move on and have fun.
Yup - I agree, life's too short. When it's not fun for me, I have to ask, WHY? It's SURE not like I MAKE money at this, (sure a TEEEEENY bit of the population does), but for me, it's a hobby and if it's not fun, then why do it? |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| hannahbug - 2017-11-27 6:19 PM When it's no fun anymore. When you can't afford to throw any more second mortgages at it. When it makes you cry more than it makes you happy.
This ^. It took me over a year to find what was sending my horse to the fence, like you, best vets in Texas, thousands of dollars, turned out it was a rear suspensory. I used great vets who could not get him to take a lame step, no swelling. Sorry you are going thru this. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 433
Location: The Lone Star State | Been there, done that, move on. Life is too short and there are too many good horses. |
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Veteran
Posts: 160
Location: Texas | I'm not a quitter either. I recently had a really nice horse for 4 years I worked with. I loved him. When I thought I had something fixed it would show up again. Lots of frustration. I don't have a lot of money but I had started telling myself that it was really beginning to not be any fun. You spend some much time in them and get soo attached to them it's really hard to let go. But I finally went online and found something else and when I went to try him my insides just exploded! I bought him and that was the end for me and him. It was best. I sold him and now I am super happy and not frustrated. You should stand back and look at the whole purpose of what you are in it for. I think you are really in it too deep. You need to let go. |
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